It Always Ends in a Fight
by Ann357
Summary: The Winter Soldier breaks from his mission parameters and goes on the run from HYDRA and Captain America. He meets a women and her friends who show him kindness and friendship. It is a journey that awakens Bucky Barnes to love but also pain. The story takes place after CA:TWS and before CA: CW.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** After watching Captain America: Civil War I was disappointed that we didn't learn more about where Bucky had been for two years. How had he stayed under the radar? I wanted to understand a little about how he got his memories back. How had he gone from the ruthless soldier we saw in CA:TWS to someone that was functioning in society? This story is my attempt to answer some of these questions.

In this story he will experience confusion, hurt, comfort, a slow burn romance, and friendship. There will be pain too. After all, the Bucky in CA:CW didn't seem to be living a fairy tale.

I wanted to set the story someplace a little different from some of the fanfiction I've read. The story is set it in Montana, USA.

Colleen, the heroine of the story, is not a veteran or a trained psychologist. She is an ordinary women dealing with normal dilemmas that meets an extraordinary man who changes her life. She doesn't have any super powers and won't be rushing off to join him in battle with the Avengers.

This is my first multi chapter fiction. I hope you will submit constructive comments. Thank you!

* * *

 _It Always Ends in a Fight_

 _Prologue_

Bucky's eyes darted around the wrecked dining room. The other people in the room were still and silent. The only noise was Bucky's labored breathing. He wasn't badly hurt nor had the fight been particularly exerting. It was his emotions that caused him to breath fast and loud. He tried to take a deep calming breath but the smell of smoke from the gunfire and the blood from the people lying around the room only deepened his emotional distress.

He held a pistol in his steady metal hand. He used his shaking right hand to wipe the moisture from his face.

Bucky jerked when a buzzer sounded in the kitchen. He turned towards the noise and slowly walked into the adjacent room. The fragrance of cooking beef filled his nostrils. Bile rose in this throat at the scent of food mixed with death.

He paused before he mustered the courage to looked at the person on the kitchen floor. His breathing became more labored as his emotions nearly overwhelmed him. He gingerly stepped over the person and turned off the buzzer and oven. Dealing with the appliance seemed trivial and dumb to him but he found a small measure of comfort when the buzzing stopped.

He stepped back over the crumpled form on the kitchen floor looking again at the destruction in the dining room. He closed his eyes and tried to center himself.

After a few beats of his heart, he opened his eyes and turned to the phone hanging on the kitchen wall. He picked up the receiver and dialed 911. After three rings a women said, " Sheriff's Department, what's your emergency?" Bucky slowly placed the headset on the counter leaving the connection open.

His mind was filled with a few simple thoughts that had begun to repeat. He had to go. He couldn't stay. He couldn't be caught. He wouldn't become the Soldier again.

His eyes turned to the pistol in his hand and he considered dying in the kitchen. He wasn't sure what stopped him. He finally moved again, taking measured steps towards the back door of the house.

He stepped outside as the wind blew through the aspen at the rear of the house. He paused and stared up at the darkening sky. He gulped in lungsful of clean air. A few drops of moisture landed on his upturned face mixing with his tears. A clap of thunder jolted Bucky again into action. He walked quickly towards to the truck and climbed inside – stashing the pistol under the seat.

He had to go. He couldn't stay. He could not be caught.

He put the truck in gear and headed away from the ranch as rain began to fall.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 1 – Hitching a Ride_

Colleen Hurst's shoulders were hunched and her mouth was pinched shut as she listened to the radio. The breaking news interruptions had ceased about two hours ago and now the broadcast was a steady stream of "experts" talking about today's terrorism in Washington D.C. She didn't know what helicarriers were but the reporters had mentioned HYDRA. She had heard of the rogue Nazi organization the Allies had fought during World War II but why they were talking about HYDRA in 2011 was a puzzle to her.

Colleen glanced down at the gages on her aging Chevy Silverado. She knew that even though the horse trailer she was pulling was empty between its weight, the heat, and stop and go traffic the truck was straining.

Her emotions fluctuated between despair and anger in the muggy heat of the cab. It seemed like hours ago, she had put all the windows down and turned off the air conditioning to lessen the chance of overheating. As the traffic once again crawled to a stop along Interstate 81, Colleen flipped her phone open to look at the picture of her 10 year old son, Phillip. A nearly overwhelming sense of sadness was now mixed with fear as the continued to listen to the news in the stuffy cab.

Yesterday, she had delivered Phillip and his beloved horse to her ex-husband, Tyler. About six months ago, Tyler had moved to a small town near Appomattox to join an established veterinary practice. Colleen and Tyler were still trying to amiably work out a parenting plan now that they were living states apart. Colleen had reluctantly agreed to Tyler's request that Phillip spend the entire summer in Virginia. Colleen's melancholy was profound as she thought about being parted from her only child. The fact that he was sitting in a state adjacent to the violence being discussed on the radio only added to her emotional upheaval. With a sigh she firmly clicked off the radio knowing she could do nothing about the terrorism in the capital.

As the car in front of her began to move forward, Colleen flipped her phone shut and tossed in onto the passenger seat of the truck. She noticed the line of traffic in front of her was moving as far left as possible in the lane. Colleen gritted her teeth, clenched the wheel, and eased back from the cars in front of her not knowing what to expect. About 50 yards ahead she saw a disabled red sedan sitting along the right side of the road. The car was mostly eased onto the shoulder.

A disheveled dark haired man stood beside the car eyeing the slow moving traffic. The man looked to be in his late twenties. His hair was nearly shoulder length and slightly unkempt. Even though it was well over 80 degrees, he wore a long sleeved jacket and gloves. His jaw was set with tension that matched his stiff posture.

As Colleen came adjacent of the disabled vehicle traffic stopped. Perhaps because of her own raw emotions, Colleen couldn't help but feel pity for his apparent situation. She leaned down to address the man through the passenger window.

"Do you need help?" Colleen asked.

The man stood beside the abandoned sedan watching the slow moving traffic while calculating his next move. He had come out of the trees near the highway to see if the sedan could be acquired. He had quickly determined the car was out of gas and besides an ugly plaid blanket, it offered nothing of use to him.

After leaving his Mission lying beside the river, he had been steadily putting distance between himself and Washington. He had stolen a car that had been left running outside of a convenience store but had ditched it after it ran out of gas. He had walked a while along a highway but knew that he was too conspicuous so he hid in a fence row. After observing a house from the fence row and determining no one was home, he broke into it. Thankfully, the house contained clothes that generally fit his athletic frame. He had used the time to set his dislocated shoulder and clean up before stealing a dust covered car sitting in the attached garage. The house didn't contain any firearms so his only remaining weapon was a knife sheathed in his left boot.

He had experienced a wave of anger and frustration when the dusty car had died after only 20 miles. He knew he wasn't far enough away from the mess in the Potomac River to stop traveling.

That's how he found himself contemplating walking again in the heat. If he had followed his mission parameters, he would be sitting in the covert HYDRA base located in an old bank near the Capital Building. The contingency was a safe house located in Arlington. But he wasn't going to either place. His head hurt after fighting the Mission on the helicarrier. The Mission had said his name was James Buchanan Barnes. His Mission's name was Steve. He had said they had known each other all their lives. Somehow he knew the Mission spoke the truth.

His head was a jumbled mess of flashes. He didn't know if they were memories. He just knew he wasn't going back. He wanted to know. He wanted to remember who he was and who Steve was. Part of his mind rebelled against his rogue behavior. Another part screamed to be free, to escape and to seek the truth.

When the truck stopped adjacent to him he was startled from his thoughts. He studied the women. She was looking at him earnestly with hazel eyes surrounded by long lashes. She had long dark hair that was sticking out of the back of a baseball cap. He judged her to be about 30 years old. She appeared fit with toned arms holding the steering wheel. She lacked the guarded expression he had come to expect from someone who might pose a threat to him. And he noted she was alone in the truck.

"Sir, do you need help?" The women repeated.

The man considered taking the truck from the women but decided against that action.

"I need a ride." The man said simply.

The women hesitated a few seconds before answering, "I'll give you a ride to the next exit. You'll have to ride in the back."

The man glanced at the back of the truck and then gave a slight nod. He walked to the back of the truck and climbed into the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

_It Always Ends in a Fight_

 _Chapter 2 - Go West Young Man_

An hour later, Colleen pulled the truck to a stop under the covered awning of a gas station. She glanced over her right shoulder to see if she could see the man in the pickup bed. Not long after getting into the truck, he had slipped out of sight.

Colleen turned off the truck and rolled up the windows before stepping out. She grabbed her leather purse and locked the truck.

The man was lying down in the bed of the truck using a blanket as a pillow. His eyes were open and alert.

"Hey mister." Colleen said. "I think we are about 20 miles north of your car. I'm sorry I wasn't able to make the earlier exit."

The man sat up with ease and looked around the busy station. "It wasn't my car." He said while making eye contact with Colleen.

"Oh." Colleen mumbled not knowing what to say. She felt foolish for assuming that he was a stranded motorist. The silence stretched between them making Colleen uncomfortable but the man seemed at ease.

"Okay, I'm going to go into the store to pay for gas and get something cold to drink. Do you want something to drink?"

"Yes."

"What do want?" Colleen asked. The man was puzzled by the question. He was never given options about what to drink or eat. He consumed what was offered to him.

Colleen waited a few beats before saying, "I'll get you some water." Then she walked off towards the store.

The man's eyes followed Colleen as he pondered his situation. When he was out of cryo he was training or completing a mission. There were always handlers and often a team assisting him with a mission. He had never been alone long.

The details of past missions floated around the edge of his mind. He normally worked as the "heavy" or an assassin. He was sent in to do jobs that required strength, excellent skill at hand to hand combat or weapons. He knew he was an accomplished sniper.

He wasn't distracted by pain, hunger, or the trivialities of human life. He wasn't held back by pity or compassion. He didn't have free will – he followed orders. He was relentless at completing his mission.

He wasn't known for being delicate. And he certainly wasn't a spy. The details of small talk or mixing with people were lost to him. His skills were a mix of the inhuman abilities HYDRA scientist had forced upon him and the specialized training he received from the Russians.

He pondered his next move, thinking about the best strategy for putting distance between himself and Washington. He flounder some on the next steps. He figured blending in with the population was his best option for avoiding capture by HYDRA or Steve Rogers.

Colleen returned from the store with a bag in her right hand.

"I brought you water and a Gatorade. You've got to be hot in your jacket." She said as she handed him two bottles.

"Thank you." He said before downing the bottle of water in several gulps. He opened the other bottle of yellowish liquid and began to drink the sugary mix as he watched Colleen begin to pump gas.

"Where are you headed?" She asked.

He didn't have a destination in mind yet, "I just want to get away from Washington." He said.

"Well that's understandable." Colleen nodded, "I'm heading to Montana."

The man continued to look at Colleen and decided traveling with her might offer him some advantages. He could essentially hide in the truck while she drove. If need be he could easily overpowered her and take the truck.

"Going west sounds good." He said.

Colleen broke eye contact as she turned and put the pump back in the cradle. She had never picked up a hitchhiker before because she knew it could be dangerous. She was uncertain what her next move should be so she hesitated in responding to him.

Finally, Colleen glanced toward the highway before saying, "I think I'm going to try some of the smaller two lane highways. I can't deal with this traffic. I wonder if it is always like this or if it is the terrorism in Washington?"

Colleen looked at the man expectantly. The man was silent but quickly realized he was expected to say something. He glanced toward the highway too before saying, "I don't know. I'm not from here."

"Where are you from?" Colleen asked.

"I'm from Brooklyn." He replied automatically. His eyes widened a bit because of the information he had shared. It had been provided without conscience thought or decision.

"New York? Well, you are a bit far from home too." Colleen said with a smile. "Why were you in Washington?"

The man stared at Colleen unsure how to respond. "I had a mission." He said eventually.

Colleen looked at him with puzzlement, "I don't understand. A mission for church?" She asked.

The man stared blankly at Colleen having no idea what she meant.

The quiet stretched between them. Colleen asked, "What do you do for a living. Do you or did you have a job in Washington?"

"I'm a soldier." He said. His eyes shifted and upon contemplation he said, "I was a soldier."

"Oh, that's what you meant by mission." Colleen smiled, "Were you in the Army?"

He didn't reply right away but looked out over the station. His eyes seemed to be somewhat unfocused. "Yes..."

Colleen looked at him with compassion. She didn't need to ask if he had seen action. She had seen the same haunted look come over the face of other veterans.

"I just want to get away from Washington. I need to…" He shrugged and stared off again into the distance.

She gave him a small smile and asked, "So soldier what's your name."

The man answered easily as if following a command, "Sargent Barnes, ma'am."

Colleen felt a bit more comfortable now that she knew his name and a little about him. "My name is Colleen." She said with a smile and stuck out her right hand.

Barnes looked at the offered hand. He was stunned that he had so easily provided the name the Mission had called him. He had known the Mission was right. But now the name was further settled within him. I am James Buchanan Barnes he thought. He felt the truth at his core. He had been a Sargent in the army.

Colleen's offered hand hung in the air. He put his hand into hers and gave a firm hand shake. And said, "James Barnes."

Colleen smiled and said, "I'm going to stop in southern Indiana to pick up a few things from my parents. And then I'm heading home. So you really don't have a destination?"

"No. I just want some quiet so I can think." Barnes didn't say it out loud but in his mind he thought someplace I can find myself.

"So you don't have to go back to base or whatever?" Colleen asked.

"No, I'm done." Barnes said firmly.

"Well Sargent, you can keep traveling west with me if you like."

"Okay."

Colleen said a bit sheepishly, "I don't normally pick up hitchhikers. I don't know you. You okay with riding in back."

"Yes, it's fine."


	4. Chapter 4

_It Always Ends in a Fight_

 _Chapter 3 – Rhythm_

Smooth rhythmic music flowed around them as they danced on the wooden floor. Bucky smiled as he twirled with the pretty brunette in his arms. He held her tightly without fear of hurting her. Both of his arms were real. He felt comfortable without the weight or pull of the metal arm.

The music soared and drowned out the talking and laughing people who filled the dance hall. The lighting was a little muted but the band made up for it with near sensory overload as the brass instruments took the lead in stepping up the speed of the song.

The hall included a large rectangular dance floor surrounded by round tables. The band sat at the far end of the hall and a bar was located on the other end by the main entrance. Even though the room was full of people Bucky felt right at home.

As the dance continued, Bucky whirled his partner past a table where Steve was sitting alone. He looked bored and sullen. The room seemed to spin faster than it should as Bucky's mind tried to put together the picture of the small, sickly Steve he had just seen with the Steve Rogers he had met. They were the same person he thought but the dissimilarities in their appearance made no sense.

"You are a great dancer Buck." The girl in his arms said with a smile.

Bucky's focus returned to the brunette in his arms. Bucky smiled and laughed with the girl. "It's only because I have such a pretty partner." He teased.

He felt a little light headed. His lips tingled a bit from too much drink. She blushed and smiled up at him. He grinned at her and added an extra spring to his step. He was having a wonderful time but his mind couldn't quite put a name to his feelings. He kept dancing and the room spun as the music reached a crescendo.

Barnes was jolted awake by the blare of a semi-truck horn. He sat up quickly in the truck bed feeling very disoriented. The same music from his dream flowed out the back window of the pickup.

Colleen was pulling the truck into a rest area along the highway. She eased into one of the longer spots because of the horse trailer. The structures housing the bathrooms were about 75 yards away. Colleen exited the vehicle and walked off towards the bathrooms. The air was heavy with humidity and although the sun was gone, the heat of the day had not dissipated. Bucky climbed out of the truck bed and surveyed the rest area. Besides several semi-trucks and trailers the parking lot was mostly empty.

He felt a bit unsteady. He didn't know if it was from the heat or the dream. He thought what he had experienced was a dream but he also felt like it might be something else perhaps a memory. He was unsettled by the feelings he had been having in the dream. He stood by the truck and took a few deep breaths to clear his thoughts. Finally, he shook his head and followed Colleen's path.

* * *

Colleen splashed water onto her face and then looked at her reflection in the mirror. Colleen felt exhausted and she looked it. She needed to keep going. She was supposed to already by at her brother's house in Indiana. Although her relationship was strained with her only sibling since he had married, she had been looking forward to seeing him, if only for an evening.

Since she had the truck she hoped she could pick up the boxes and furniture from her parents estate that he had been storing in his garage. He'll probably be at work when I get there she thought. She resolved to just get to Indiana and see what happened.

She was expected back at the ranch in three days but she knew the Johnsons would understand if she was delayed. She hoped her brother and sister-in-law might accommodate her today. Besides Phillip, they were her only remaining family and she longed to have a better relationship with them.

She exited the ladies room and bought a Pepsi from one of the vending machines. She hoped a dose of caffeine and sugar would help her. She left the building and began walking towards the truck while taking small drinks of the soda. An older model car sat in the spot directly in front of the structures. Loud thumping music was playing in the car that contained four young men. She kept her eyes averted from the car but felt them staring at her. She was struck by a feeling of isolation when she saw no one else in the parking lot other than the dark semi-trucks.

"Hey, lady! Don't walk off." One of the young men shouted at her. This was followed by a chorus of laughing.

Colleen didn't pause or make eye contact but kept walking towards her truck. She heard the men leave their vehicle and glanced over her shoulder. The driver was looking her way and their eyes connected. Colleen broke eye contact and her steps quickened. An upbring that urged courtesy prevented her from listening to instincts that said she should start running.

She felt eyes boring into her back but she didn't turn around. She heard a different voice say, "Hey, you stuck up bitch! "

Colleen glanced back and saw the four men standing around the car looking at her. She jerked her gaze back towards her truck and kept walking. More laughing and shouting followed her but she didn't look again as a heightened sense of fear began to creep into her body.

She heard them walking towards her so she kept moving forward. The men quickly caught up with Colleen and kept pace with here for about ten steps before she was stopped by a man grabbing her left upper arm. The man was about Colleen's height with a muscular build. Two men had moved to stand in front of her. The one closest to her was at least six feet tall and slender. A fourth man stood several feet off her right side. He was portly and seemed to be the least dangerous of the group.

"Please let me go. I don't want any trouble." Colleen pleaded while cringing away from the man holding her arm.

He began asking her vulgar questions that made the other men laugh.

"Please let me go." Colleen repeated but pleading only resulted in another round of rough comments and laughing. The man standing in front of her took a step forward and roughly grabbed her breast.

"No!" Colleen shouted and tried to knee the man in the groin. She missed her mark because she was thrown off balance by the man on her left jerking her towards him.

The man in front of her and the one holding her tightly by her arm exchanged some heated words as Colleen tried to pull away and shouted, "Let me go!"

Suddenly, the man standing in front of Colleen looked behind her and froze. The others followed his gaze and the laughing stopped. The man holding Colleen let go of her arm and turned.

Colleen pivoted slightly to see Barnes nearly upon them. His strides were even and sure. He didn't pause in his menacing advance. Barnes kicked the man who had been holding her before the assailants could do little more than stare. The man hit the pavement with a thud. Colleen heard a loud crack as Barnes' left fist struck the tall man in front of her. She didn't see him fall because Barnes grabbed her and spun her behind him so he could deliver a powerful left front kick to the next man.

Colleen stumbled but didn't lose her footing when Barnes released her. Barnes struck the heavy man with his right hand. The fellow crumpled to the ground.

"Go to the truck." Barnes said in a firm voice. Colleen didn't move. Her feet felt frozen to the ground as she observed her beaten assailants.

"Go!" Barnes repeated. Colleen's jumped at his voice and began to clumsily move forward.

Barnes walked up to the closest man and searched him before moving to the next man. When he was done, he had acquired a fat fold of money, several gold chains, and a small 9mm pistol.

* * *

Colleen's dropped the keys from her shaking hands as she tried to unlock the pickup. She quickly bent and picked them up.

"Give them to me." Barnes said as he came up on her left side.

Colleen looked up at his expressionless face and wordlessly handed him the keys. He unlocked the truck easily and held the door open for her. As she got into the truck, Barnes said, "I'll drive."

Colleen scooted over to the passenger seat without complaint as he climbed in. She put her seat belt on and looked out the window across Barnes to the four men still on the ground. Barnes had the truck turned on, in gear, and moving quickly.

The shock of the encounter had Colleen shaking. As they pulled out onto the interstate, Barnes glanced at her and asked, "Are you hurt?"

Colleen shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself.

Although Barnes wanted to put as much distance between him and the rest area as quickly as possible, he kept the truck at the speed limit. The encounter hadn't been much of fight and Barnes knew all four men were alive but unconscious. He hoped that the fight had not been seen by anyone or recorded.

They drove in silence for several miles before Colleen said, "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there."

Barnes glanced at her but didn't respond right away. He suspected a response was required and eventually said, "You're welcome."

Colleen looked at him and asked hesitantly, "You were not just in the Army right? You were so fast. Were you a member of some sort of special forces?"

Barnes glanced at her and said, "I guess you could call it a special force."

She kept looking at him expecting more. Barnes said, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, okay. Well thank you." She reached over and touched his left hand that was resting on the seat. She gave it a squeeze.

When she touched him, Barnes barely checked his immediate response to pull his hand away and strike out at her. He wasn't able to hide that his whole body had gone rigid. Colleen quickly let go of his hand. He looked over at her and saw her give him a little smile. He couldn't remember the last time he had been touched in a kind way.

"Why don't you rest and I'll keep driving." Barnes said. "Where are we going in Indiana?"

"Westport." Colleen said. "Do you need to look at a map?"

"No, I'll be fine.

Colleen gave him a small smile before turning forward. The monotony of the lines and reflectors soon had her nodding off.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4 – On the Road

The truck was parked under a tree at the back of a gas station, Colleen and Barnes stood beside the truck. The morning hum of traffic punctuated the hot air. The sun had been up for several hours but Colleen and Barnes had been in limbo waiting to hear from Colleen's brother.

Barnes appeared to be waiting patiently with Colleen. In reality, he was anxiously calculating his next move. He wasn't sure that traveling with Colleen continued to offer him a tactical advantage of eluding HYDRA and Steve Rogers. However, he had not availed himself of the opportunity to take several vehicles that had been left unattended. He has puzzled by his own indecision.

"Well, it is not going to work out." Colleen said after she snapped her phone shut. She stood for a long while looking off across the parking lot before wiping at her eyes.

"Where are you heading next?" Barnes asked evenly as he had no idea how to respond to her tears.

"I'd like to make it to South Dakota." Colleen said.

Barnes didn't respond but nodded his head.

"You've always wanted to see the Corn Palace, right?" She turned and looked at Barnes with a smirk.

* * *

Bucky was sitting at a round table talking with Steve. They had to talk loudly to hear each other over the music and crowd. Steve was telling him about a funny movie he had seen. Steve's summary had Bucky laughing. The band paused between songs and Connie appeared at the table.

"Bucky Barnes, you owe me a dance." Connie said with a smile.

"Well, we can't have that." Bucky grinned back and stood up. He gave Steve a slap on the shoulder and said, "I'll be back soon. Ask someone to dance, jerk."

He put his arms around Connie and they began to dance as the music started. Bucky moved them expertly on the crowded dance floor. They laughed and smiled at each other.

The music ended and Barnes woke up. He was sitting in the passenger seat of Colleen's truck. She was changing the CD in the player. Music Barnes didn't recognize began to fill the cab.

Barnes sat quietly and looked out at the passing scenery. Last night he couldn't quite put his finger on the feeling he was experiencing in the dream. Now he could, he had been happy. Before the war, he had been happy with his friend Steve and his girl, Connie.

Steve's small stature continued to puzzle him and prevented Barnes from declaring with absolute certainty what he had dreamed was actually a memory.

"How are you doing over there Sargent?" Colleen asked after she realized he was awake and he had been silent for a few minutes.

"The music, what was that?" Barnes asked.

"On the CD, I just pulled out?" Colleen asked.

"Yes. You were playing it last night too."

"It is Glenn Miller." Colleen glanced at him with a smile. "I spent a lot of time with my grandparents growing up so I have an affinity to big band music. We spent hours listening to music on their old stereo. You know the kind you could stack the records on. Does it bother you? I can switch back to the radio if you like"

"No, I like it. I've heard it before." Barnes said.

"I have a few more CDs from that era we can listen to if you like." Colleen said with enthusiasm. "I rarely find people who like it."

"Okay."

The silence stretched between them as the CD of modern rock music finished.

"Fish out a different CD will you? I think I have some Gershwin we haven't listened to yet. You might like that." Colleen said. Barnes dug through the CDs before inserting the one she mentioned.

"So do you go by James?" Colleen inquired.

Barnes first impulse had been to say my name is Bucky but he checked himself. He knew he had to hide and the name Bucky was to uncommon to use. He could feel Colleen glancing at him as fumbled over a simple question.

"Do you prefer Jim or Jimmy?" Colleen asked after Barnes hadn't responded.

The suggested names felt completely wrong to Barnes.

"Call me James." He said.

Colleen smiled and said, "So what are your plans?"

"My only plan was to get away from Washington." Barnes replied. Escape and evasion were his primary goals. He wanted to figure out who he was and he didn't know how to go about that.

"Well, James you're west of the Mississippi – a good distance from D.C." Colleen replied. Barnes didn't speak so Colleen continued, "We'll be in Mitchell in a few hours and I plan to stop for the night. I'd like to sleep in a bed and have a hot shower."

Barnes looked at Colleen. He didn't know what his response should be so he didn't say anything. They continued on in silence except for the music filling the cab. Barnes looking out the side window and watched the passing scenery. He contemplated Colleen's question about his plan. He needed a place to hide but his money and resources were limited. He could steal what he needed but crime might be noticed. He felt uncertain because he was used to following orders. He might have to do some improvising while on a mission but he didn't strategize or plan a mission he implemented them.

"So do you like this music?" Colleen interrupted his thoughts after the first two songs had played.

"Yes, but it I don't think I know it." He said. "I like it though, it makes me feel…calm."

"I've always thought there was sadness in many of these songs." Colleen said.

"I guess. I just feel…peaceful. I don't know why." Barnes said. He looked over at Colleen and she gave him a small smile.

"So James, I don't want to be rude…" She glanced at him and found him staring at her. She hesitated and then spoke calmly. "You don't seem to have anything, no bag. That's a little odd and you don't have a destination. I'd like to help you, if I can but I'm not sure how."

Barnes remained silent for several minutes. "I want to find someplace that I can think and figure out who I am."

Colleen didn't respond but let his words hang between them. Barnes was looking ahead but he seemed to be in deep contemplation. He glanced back at Colleen.

"It been so long… I don't even know who I am or what I should do…" His voice trailed off. Colleen glanced at him and they made eye contact. For the first time, Colleen saw something besides a blank look from Barnes. He looked confused and sad.

He jerked his head away and looked out the side window again.

"Hey, I'm sorry." Colleen said softly and reached out to touch his left arm but pulled back remembering how he had jerked way from her last night. "I don't want to upset you. I would like to help."

"What should I do?" He asked in a quiet voice.

Colleen looked over at Barnes. She was surprised by his question and unsure what to say. They had spent a little more than 24 hours together. What she knew about him was limited to his name and that he had been in the military. He seemed very withdrawn and perhaps a little lost. After last night, she knew he could be a dangerous man. He hadn't been anything but polite to her since they met so she was trying to not let that drive her opinion about him.

"Do you have any family or friends that you would like to visit?" Colleen asked.

"No." Barnes said quickly.

"I'm guessing you need to find a job to support yourself?" Colleen said. She looked at Barnes who was looking back at her with a blank expression. "

"Would you like a job? Are you willing to work?" Colleen asked.

"Yes…but I can only remember being a soldier."

"What did you do in the military? Did they teach you any skills that might transfer to civilian life?" Colleen said. "You know like mechanical or computer skills?"

Barnes pondered her question. He knew that his skill with weapons would not help with blending quietly into society. He had been trained over the years to trouble shoot and repair various equipment that might fail during a mission like trucks and helicopters.

"They taught me how to fix things." Barnes said.

"Okay." Colleen said brightly, "That's a start."

* * *

Two hours later they pulled into a chain motel in Mitchell. Colleen parked the truck towards the back of the lot because of the horse trailer. They exited the truck and stood in the hot dry air.

"I'm going to get a room." Colleen said to Barnes. "If you want to continue on with me, I'll meet you back here tomorrow morning at 7 a.m."

"Okay." Barnes said. Colleen looked at Barnes standing there with just the clothes on his back. She was concerned for him. She wondered how he would spend the next twelve hours.

"Do you need any money for food?"

"I have money." He said as he surveyed the motel lot and surrounding area.

"Alright." Colleen replied. She turned to walk toward the hotel office and then paused. "If you want to shower and whatever. I'll give you my room key at seven and we can go after that."

"Okay, thanks." Barnes said.

"Goodnight." Colleen said and walked toward the hotel.

* * *

Barnes watched Colleen walk away and pondered his next move. There was no tactical advantage to remaining with Colleen. In fact, it would be better to leave. But a part of him, a fragment of himself that had been dormant for decades, was enchanted by her kindness. His memory as the soldier was laced with cruelty and pain. So he clung to the small measure of compassion she had shown him. He resolved to stay with her one more day.

He had learned a few things from their conversation. He needed to take steps to blend in better. He figured the first step was to find different clothes and to shower. He left the motel parking lot with this goal of assimilation.

* * *

Colleen stepped out of the shower and looked at herself in the mirror. Her left upper arm had a dark, ugly bruise were she had been forcibly held last night. She was thankful James had been there to save her. Her mind shied away from thinking about what would have happened without him.

Colleen felt exhausted with everything that had happened in the last 48 hours – leaving her son, more national terrorism, and being assaulted.

Colleen looked at the time and determined it was too late to call Phillip. She decided to check in with the ranch and then hopefully get a good night of sleep.

Phillip and Colleen had moved from Helena to the Johnson Ranch in the Ruby Valley just before she had made the trip to Virginia. They would be living in an A-Frame house about 100 yards from the main house. It was a simple place with one bedroom and a sleeping loft. The house sported a beautiful view looking west across fields to the Ruby Mountains. Colleen hoped living on the ranch with friends and in a small community would be beneficial to Phillip. Colleen had known the Johnson family for over 10 years since rooming in college with Boyd Johnson's oldest daughter Kelly.

Colleen would be working on the ranch - mostly filling in for Betty while she was traveling for work. Colleen would be cooking and cleaning in the main house and helping with chores. She hoped to find additional work in one of the surrounding small communities.

Colleen picked up her cell phone and dialed. She was happy when Betty answered.

* * *

The next morning, Colleen walked towards her truck and saw Barnes leaning against the truck with his head slightly bent forward. A black backpack sat at his feet.

He was wearing lace up work boats, blue jeans, and a black long-sleeved t-shirt. He had a black leather glove on his left hand. His dark hair was clean and slicked back from his face which was shadowed by the baseball cap he was wearing. When Colleen was about 10 feet away he looked up at her and she was met by his intense blue eyes.

 _Wow_ Colleen thought as she studied Barnes shaved face and new attire. His shabby appearance had prevented her from really noticing what an attractive man he was.

"Good morning." Colleen said when she reached him.

"Morning." Barnes said.

"So I take it this means you are going with me." Colleen said.

"Yes." Barnes said.

Colleen smiled.


End file.
